Staying Safe on the Fells

Fell-walking and scrambling in the more remote parts of the Lake District should be viewed as extreme sports carrying a degree of risk.

Every year between 20 – 30 people die on the fells in the Lake District. Most of those who die are poorly prepared, ill equipped or just plain ignorant to the risks involved in fell walking. As in any activity thorough planning and preparation are essential:

Always take a waterproof jacket, spare jumper, socks, gloves and hat. Carry a torch, whistle and mobile phone (although bear in mind you many get little to no signal on many routes).

Detailed maps are important: plan the route carefully and keep an escape route to a main road, village or rescue post in case of sudden bad weather or accident.

Try to walk in groups and don’t separate. If you must walk alone tell someone your exact route and the time you will return.

Check the weather on the day you leave and refer to more than one source. If the weather is bad consider postponing your walk.

Always take a first aid kit and remember that an emergency signal is six blasts on a whistle or six flashes from a torch repeated at one minute intervals.